On Monday, I was on a conference call with friends and colleagues in the aid and peace-building community. The mood was sombre as we contemplated the results of US President Donald Trump’s order to freeze nearly all American foreign aid for 90 days. Although Secretary of State Marco Rubio swiftly followed up by saying that “life-saving humanitarian assistance” could continue, the original announcement had already affected huge numbers of people.
In Khartoum, Sudan, the US was the biggest donor for the soup kitchens that were feeding more than 800,000 people. Last Friday, it was reported that 434 of the 634 kitchens run by volunteers had shut down. Hospitals in camps on the Thai border, where about 100,000 refugees from Myanmar live, closed their doors. Malaria programmes in Uganda and Bangladesh have been affected, with key staff laid off. Aids clinics in South Africa have had to suspend their work. The Middle East has been affected, too, as this paper reported on Tuesday.
But there’s another kind of US foreign aid, as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt outlined on Monday. Citing “$70,000 for the production of a DEI musical in Ireland”, $47,000 on a “transgender opera” in Colombia and $32,000 for a “transgender comic book” in Peru, she said: “I don’t know about you, but as an American taxpayer, I don’t want my dollars going towards this [sic] and I know the American people don’t either.” Cutting these programmes, she said, is exactly what Elon Musk, director of the US Department of Government Efficiency, “has been tasked by President Trump to do”.
It doesn’t matter what you think about DEI – or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – as a policy, and the opera in Colombia may quite possibly be a masterpiece, Ms Leavitt knows her audience. They most certainly will be thinking: “We’re funding that?” What cannot be denied, as well, is that such projects are neither neutral nor indisputably beneficial. They are fundamentally political.
This links to a third category of US foreign aid. The agency has long been accused of interfering in the internal political affairs of a number of countries, and Mr Trump appears to agree. The first paragraph of his executive order reads: “The United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values. They serve to destabilise world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries.”
Critics from the anti-colonialist left and the Global South might not use quite the same words. But they have complained for decades that US-funded projects – nominally to promote a specific type of governance, human rights and so-called independent media – are often highly partisan attempts to undermine governments and promote politicians of whom the American foreign policy establishment approves.
The trouble is that all three categories can end up being lumped together, and the fact that USAID provided 42 per cent of all humanitarian aid tracked by the UN last year – for which the world should be very thankful – can be overlooked by those irritated by what they see as never-ending American meddling, if not downright coercion.
So here’s a suggestion for Mr Trump, Mr Musk and Mr Rubio. Let the review of US foreign aid proceed, and identify the core humanitarian work. Cut anything and everything that’s even slightly political. Drop the controversial. Focus the $70 billion that the US so generously spends annually on international aid on the work everyone can agree on. Eradicating diseases. Feeding desperate people. Strengthening education and health services. Supporting women and girls. Building peace and enabling dialogue. Monitoring elections when invited to be an objective observer.
Think about the kind of work the Carter Centre does. Does anyone, anywhere object to that?
This would fit with the “Maga” view that the rest of the world’s politics is not their issue, and Mr Trump’s words in his speech at the 2017 Riyadh summit that I’ve quoted before: “America will not seek to impose our way of life on others,” he said. “We are not here to lecture – we are not here to tell other people how to live, what to do, who to be, or how to worship.”
Let the aid be straightforward, with no strings attached. If anyone in the Trump administration needs a reason to spend those billions without a quid pro quo, well, many if not most leading Republicans see themselves as godly people, and all the Abrahamic religions would approve of such charity. And in any case, wouldn’t unfettered US aid – with no lecturing, moralising, or conditions – actually improve America’s standing in a lot of countries?
A kind of template for this springs to mind. Many years ago, I went to Kenya for a reporting trip supported by a Christian charity. Their workers, some of whom were priests, never talked about their faith, however, to forestall any accusations that they were really there to proselytise. They did concede that a phenomenon called “unavoidable witness” could occur. Someone might see the work they were doing – in this case, in education about HIV and reducing the stigma for the infected – then become interested in what motivated them, and thus their religion. But the charity’s mission explicitly ruled out demanding that “people hear any religious message or convert to Christianity before, during or after receiving assistance”.
If US foreign aid was repurposed to the purely charitable and humanitarian, “unavoidable witness” would surely be inevitable. No one could see what is still the world’s mightiest country selflessly donating such large sums of money, while expecting nothing in return, and not be impressed.
Perhaps it’s too much to hope for. But if Mr Trump wants to make America great again, not just in the eyes of his fellow citizens, but in the hearts of the rest of the world, it would be a magnificent start.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
MATCH INFO
England 19 (Try: Tuilagi; Cons: Farrell; Pens: Ford (4)
New Zealand 7 (Try: Savea; Con: Mo'unga)
Read more about the coronavirus
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More on animal trafficking
The years Ramadan fell in May
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
More on animal trafficking
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The years Ramadan fell in May
More on Quran memorisation:
The five pillars of Islam
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
More Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions:
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
All%20The%20Light%20We%20Cannot%20See%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESteven%20Knight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMark%20Ruffalo%2C%20Hugh%20Laurie%2C%20Aria%20Mia%20Loberti%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
